Posts Tagged ‘Indwelling Presence’

Indwelling Presence

Day 49 -- מלכות/שכינה שבמלכות/שכינה (Indwelling Presence within Indwelling Presence)
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel wrote beautifully on revelation:"The nature of revelation, being an event in the realm of the ineffable is something which words cannot spell, which human language will never be able to portray. Our categories are not applicable to that which is both within and beyond the realm of matter and mind. In speaking about revelation, the more descriptive the terms, the less adequate is the description."Revelation is a mystery for which reason has no concepts."Collecting the memories of the sparks of illuminations we have perceived, the installments of insight that have been bestowed upon us through the years, we will find it impossible to remain certain of the impossibility of revelation."Today[...]

Indwelling Presence

Day 43 -- חסד שבמלכות/שכינה (Lovingkindness within Indwelling Presence)
The flow of lovingkindness into the world is never-ending, like the stars wandering along their paths in the sky or gentle ripples in a constantly refreshed natural spring. It is no surprise that a person who exudes Hesed, lovingkindness, is called a Hasid, a righteous person, a person whose caring is continuous. We understand how Hesed influences Malkhut/Sh’khinah when we recognize the protecting compassion of God as our ideal parent — guiding, counseling, influencing, loving, guarding. The Source of Presence can be experienced as the sheltering wings of Sh’khinah; these wings protect, but do not smother. Today, we remember that the caring Presence always surround and shields us (Counting the Omer:[...]

Indwelling Presence

Day 42 -- מלכות/שכינה שביסוד (Indwelling Presence within Foundation)
The s’firah of Y’sod is sometimes called “Righteous One,” based on the statements in Proverbs 10:25: “The righteous is an everlasting foundation.” In Daniel Matt’s book Essential Zohar, this idea is elaborated: “One pillar extends from earth to heaven. Its name is Righteous One, named for the righteous. If there are righteous people in the world, the pillar is strengthened; if not, it is weakened. It upholds the entire world…If it weakens, the world cannot endure. So if the world contains just one righteous person, that person sustains the world.”Today, Malkhut/Sh’khinah sheb’Y’sod, we invite the Divine Presence to increase our desire for righteousness, to strengthen the pillar that upholds the world. Today we remember that majesty infuses the structure of[...]

Indwelling Presence

Day 35 -- מלכות/שכינה שבהוד (Indwelling Presence within Splendor)
The s’firah of Malkhut/Sh’khinah acknowledges that the best kind of sovereignty, the noblest stewardship, arises from recognizing the Divine Presence within all creation. As this s’firah influences Hod, we recognize holiness within ll life’s complexity, and see each minuscule part as part of a larger harmonious whole. We are just a small part of this undivided totality, remaining alive only because each breath of life is a personal gift (Counting the Omer: A Kabbalistic Meditation Guide, p.174).

Indwelling Presence

Day 28 -- מלכות/שכינה שבנצח: Indwelling Presence within Endurance
Midrash Exodus Rabbah states: Tehre is no place where the Divine Presence is not.” Traditional prayer echoes this idea: “The whole world is filled with God’s glory.” To some people, God is always present and always available. Others wait in anticipation, as the Song of Songs says: Kol Dodi Hinei Zeh Bah (The voice of my Beloved, here it comes). Perhaps these are really the same idea, as Divine Energy is constant and yet always arriving (Counting the Omer: A Kabbalistic Meditation Guide, p.146).

Indwelling Presence

Day 21 מלכות/שכינה שבתפארת - Indwelling Presence within Harmony
The path between these two s’firot in our body is along the centerline, from Malkhut/Sh’khinah, a place where we connect to the earth (base of the spine or feet) through Y’sod (genitals, foundation, the location of th energy of regeneration), to Tiferet (heart, harmony, balance). When we keep these places in our body in alignment with each other, we stand or sit up straight. This posture is recommended in many meditation traditions, as it allows energy to flow smoothly up and down. One of the traditional morning blessings expresses gratitude to God who “straightens the bent,” who keeps these s’firot lined with each other (Counting the Omer: A Kabbalistic Meditation[...]

Indwelling Presence

"There are many Hasidic stories about ordinary people finding God in everyday activities. This reminds us that the concept of an indwelling God means that God is close to us, and according to some sources, dwells in every aspect of creation. In Deuteronomy 30:15, God reminds us that the Torah is not distant or baffling but rather “No, the thing is very close to you , in your mouth and in your heart, to observe it.” Today we an stop and pay close attention to some small task, recognizing that even in the most mundane of daily activities, we can increase our awareness of the presence of God in our lives" (Counting the Omer: A Kabbalistic Meditation Guidepp.62-63).For other days of the[...]